(MENAFN) Egypt has expressed its concern about non-respondent Ethiopia to an invitation to discuss a dispute over a giant dam that Ethiopia plans to build on the river Nile, Reuters reported.
Egypt fears the dam will reduce water flows vital for its 84 million people who use almost all of the Nile water available to it.
Recently ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi said last month that "all options" were open in dealing with the issue, prompting Ethiopia to say it was ready to defend its USD4.7 billion dam, set to be built near its border with Sudan.
Ethiopia also summoned the Egyptian ambassador after politicians in Cairo were shown on television suggesting military action or supporting Ethiopian rebels.
Egypt cites a 1929 pact which entitled Cairo to 55.5 billion cubic metres a year of the Nile's flow of around 84 billion cubic metres.
However, Ethiopia and five other upstream Nile states, such as Kenya and Uganda, say Egypt's claims are outdated and have signed a deal effectively stripping Cairo of its veto based on colonial-era treaties over dam projects on the river.
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